Socket for musical instruments.



F. A. BUESCHER.

SOCKET FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION man Aue.11. 1914.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

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SOCKET FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (lot. 24, 1916.

Application filed August 17, 1914. Serial No. 857,232.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND A. Bonsorrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sockets for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tubes for musical instruments and particularly to the sockets for controlling the formation of the dif ferent musical tones corresponding to the musical scale. The sockets as heretofore usually constructed and applied could not be maintained in secured and tight condition because of limited soldering surface thereof and after comparatively short usage leakage at the socket joints would ensue, and as a consequence the instruments of the socket type were not generally reliable as to their durability and desired tonality. In the present improvement the dependence on solder solely as a securing medium for the sockets to the tube is practically obviated by providing a novel form of flange structure which is upset relatively to the opening in the tube and incloses the wall of the latter opening, whereby a positive and nonleaking j ointure of the sockets and tube results with more efficiency and reliability in the tone and playing qualities of the instrument and more durability in service of the instrument.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a saxophone tube showing the improved socket applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the tube taken through the center of the socket. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal vertical section through the upper portion of the tube and socket as shown by Fig. 1. Fig. at is a detail sectional elevation of one of the sockets.

The numeral 5 designates a tapering tube which in the present instance is adapted for use in a saxophone, and having the improved socket 6 secured thereto. It will be understood that the tube 5 may be the body part of any other instrument using sockets, as the invention is not limited to any precise musical instrument, and, furthermore, any number of the sockets necessary may be secured to the tube. To receive eachsocket 6, the tube 5 is formed with a circular opening 7 which naturally follows the convexity of the tube. As well understood in the art,

it is necessary that the upper or outer edge of each socket be straight in order that the key-cap or disk cooperating therewith may fully engage the same, and if the fingers of the player are used in direct engagement with the sockets a positive and reliable closure pressure is obtained in conjunction with the straight edge of the socket. Therefore, the surrounding body or side 8 of the socket is widened, as at 9, at diametrically opposite portions and narrowed, as at 10, at diametrically opposite portions to conform to the shape of the body and preserve the straight outer engaging edge 11 of the socket. The lower or inner edge of the socket is formed with a shoulder 12 surrounding the outer portion thereof and an inner flange 13, this shoulder and flange be ing formed by cutting away the metal of the socket from the lower edge thereof upwardly a certain distance so that the said flange 13 will be materially less in thickness than the remaining portion of the socket side or body. The flange 13 is of equal width throughout its full extent and the shoulder 12 is an equal distance throughout its extent from the lower edge of the flange. In other Words, the lower edge of the flange 13 and the shoulder 12 regularly follow the contour of the lower portion of the body 8 which is modified at diametrically opposite points by variation in width thereof.

In applying the socket, the flange 13 in straight condition as shown by Fig. at is inserted in the opening 7, the latter being of less diameter than the outside diameter of the body 8, but about the same diameter as the flange 13. The socket is pressed into the opening 7 until. the shoulder 12 fully bears on the surface of the tube 5 around said opening, and the flange 13 is then upset outwardly against and caused to firmly bear on the inner surface of said tube around the opening 7 thus securely and tightly sealing the joint between the socket and the tube. If desired, the outer portion of the flange 13 and the shoulder 12 may be slightly wiped with solder prior to the engagement of the flange and shoulder with the opening 7 as an additional means of insuring the formation of a tight joint, but this latter procedure is not absolutely necessary for the reason that when the flange is upset or swaged over in close relation to the inner side of the tube a practically air-tight joint is formed. It will be seen that when the socket is secured as above explained it cannot move inwardly or outwardly for the reason that inward movement thereof is resisted by the shoulder bearing against the outer surface of the tube, and outward movement by the upset flange bearing against the inner surface of the tube.

The improved socket and joint therefor relatively to the tube will be found exceptionally advantageous, and the cost of manu- 'facture is minimized by the simplicity of the joint structure.

lVhat is claimed is: y

l. The combination with a saxophone tube havingan opening in the side portion there-' of, of a socket increasing in width from por-' tions thereof atdiametrically opposite points equally in opposite directions fronrsaid points to conform to the outerconvex. surface of the tube and produce an outer squared free end or exposed flat edge, the socket being provided at the opposite end 'with a flange of reduced thickness and. a

. shoulder adjacent to said flange, the flange being inserted in the tube opening and upset against theinner surface of the side of the tube to tightly hold the shoulder in close contacting relation to and secure the same against the outer surface of the side of the tube around the said opening.

2'. Th'ecombination with a saxophone tube having an opening in the side thereof, of a short straight socket having one end reduced in thickness, the latter reduced end of the socket being fitted in the tube opening and havinga portion thereof upset closely against the inner surface of the side of the tube to form a tight joint between the outer surface ofthe socket and the tube around the socket opening and also relatively to the wall of the socket opening, the outer end of the socket being squared relatively to the side of the socket body so that when the socket is secured in place the said outer end will stand level relatively to the saxophone tube.

3-. The combination with a saxophone tube having an opening in the side portion therecf, of a short straight socket having one end reduced in thickness relatively to the body of the socket to form a securing flange and an abutting shoulder within and terminating at its outer portion coincidently with the outer surface of the body of the socket, the flange being'inserted in the tube opening and upset against the inner surface of the side of the tube, the shoulder and the normally free edge of the flange conforming in contour to each other and both having a double concave-convex shape to conform to the surfaces of the tube which they engage, the shoulder being firmly drawn into contact with the outer surface of the tube when the flange is upset to form a tight joint between the socket and the wall of the opening of the tube.

4-. The combination with a saxophone tube having an opening in the side thereof, of a short straight socket consisting of a cylindrical body having one end reduced in thickness relatively to the remaining portion of the body, the said reduced end of the socket having the edge thereof of double concaveconvex contour to cause the said end of the socket to fit tightly against the portions of the tube engaged thereby, the tube opening being of less diameter than the outside diameter of the socket body and the reduced end of the said body slightly less in diameter than the diameter of the tube opening, the reduced end of the socket being inserted in the tube opening and upset against the inner surface of the side of the tube.

As an improved article of manufacture, a short metallic socket for application to a saxophone or analogous tubular musical instrument, the said socket being formed of sheet metal and having one end reduced in thickness relatively to the remaining portion of the socket body to provide a securing means forming part of the socket, the edge of the reduced end of the socket having two concave diametrical portions and two convex portions between them and the edge of the opposite end uniformly in a plane at right angles to the body of the socket.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' FERDINAND A. BUESCHER.

Witnesses A. J. SCANLON, OTIS J. THOMPSON.

' .Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, I). 0; 

